UNIVERSITY PARK, Texas — The feeling was more relief than revenge for TCU after outlasting rival SMU 24-16 in the rain at Ford Stadium.
SMU, the last team to beat TCU a year ago, was throwing for the end zone on the final play of Saturday's game, which was often sloppy — and not just because of the wet conditions.
TCU coach Gary Patterson said he sensed it would be a struggle from the body language of his team as it prepared to start the second half with a 21-10 lead.
"As soon as they came out (for halftime), I told them, 'We're going to have to survive this,'" said Patterson after the 15th-ranked Horned Frogs improved to 4-0 despite being outgained by the Mustangs 220-156.
TCU, which fumbled twice and endured several botched snaps on special teams, benefited from five interceptions by SMU quarterback Garrett Gilbert. But when it had to, the Frogs defense came up big.
A bad punt snap gave SMU a first-and-goal at the TCU 1-yard line with 11:11 to play. A sack by Devonte Fields on second down pushed SMU back to the 9. Two plays later, the Mustangs turned it over on downs.
SMU made it a one-score game with 2:08 left when Gilbert found Der'rikk Thompson for a 29-yard score.
After another botched field-goal attempt gave SMU the ball back with 1:06 left, TCU's defense responded again. Chucky Hunter sacked Gilbert on second down, then Gilbert tossed his fifth interception on a Hail Mary pass to end the game.
"We got lucky," Patterson said. "The goal-line stand, stopping them down there, was probably the turning point in the game."
TCU undoubtedly had intentions of being more than just lucky against SMU (1-3), which had been blown out Baylor and Texas A&M.
The Mustangs knocked off the Frogs 40-33 in overtime last year in Fort Worth, Texas to claim the Iron Skillet, the trophy the metro rivals play for each year. TCU hasn't lost since and stretched its nation-leading winning streak to 12 games with Saturday's victory.
"I wouldn't say revenge, but we did want to come out with the win," TCU receiver Skye Dawson said. "We want to come out here and keep competing for the Iron Skillet. We won it back this year and we plan on keeping it at TCU."
A big key to the win was keeping SMU running back Zach Line in check. Line rushed for a combined 259 yards in the last two meetings with TCU, but was held to 49 yards on 15 carries Saturday.
Patterson said the Frogs put in schemes this week specifically to stop Line, rather than rely on their normal defense.
"He's hurt us badly the last two seasons," Patterson said. "We were not going to let Zach Line hurt us tonight."
Line did hurt TCU with a 21-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. The score, just the second TD allowed by TCU this season, cut the Frogs lead to 14-7.
A Matthew Tucker touchdown run, set up by a 64-yard punt return by Dawson, extended TCU's lead to 21-7 with 2:11 left before halftime. That left SMU enough time to get a 29-yard field goal from Chase Hover to make it 21-10 at the break.
SMU missed other opportunities to put pressure on TCU, but on a wet night Gilbert was victimized by numerous dropped passes.
"I would like to think it was the weather, but you have to make some plays," SMU coach June Jones said. "It was the same conditions for (the Horned Frogs), and they made some great catches. Our receivers have to step up and make those plays."
Gilbert was 15-of-40 passing for 190 yards and was sacked four times. SMU was just 3 of 14 on third-down attempts.
"We found a way to get another one done," Patterson said. "If you had told me before the season that we would be 4-0, with everything, everybody we lost, then I'd probably be jumping up and down."
Then Patterson was reminded of TCU's special teams mistakes.
"The first four periods of tomorrow night's practice is always special teams. It may go to six periods."
Notes: Gilbert became the fifth opposing signal caller in TCU history to throw five interceptions in a game against the Horned Frogs and the first since Houston’s Jimmy Klingler on Oct. 31, 1992.
Follow Keith Whitmire on Twitter: @Keith_Whitmire
